32,000 shanties along Laguna de Bay shoreline to be demolished - LLDA

MANILA, Philippines - Shanties belonging to an estimated 32,000 squatter families along the shoreline of Laguna de Bay will soon be demolished to save the lake from further deterioration. This was according to Edgardo Manda, the general manager of the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA), who said they are considering tapping the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority for the demolition. “We really need to contain the problem on squatting along the shoreline of the Laguna Lake," Manda said. Manda said MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando have already expressed willingness to assist the LLDA in ridding the shorelines of Laguna Lake of squatters, most of them concentrated on the Taguig part of the lake. “There were about 32,000 of them covering the areas of Taytay, Cainta, parts of Taguig and Pasig," Manda said, adding that they are currently concentrating on Taguig area where most of the informal settlers are located. The shoreline of Laguna Lake covers a total of 280 kilometers. It is the largest lake in the Philippines and the second largest inland freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. Manda said aside from tapping Fernando the LLDA is also asking the House of Representatives to amend its charter and give them police power. “The LLDA needs more teeth to implement its environmental laws, especially our problem involving squatting," Manda said. - GMANews.TV